By Brian Carroll
“For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?”– James Allen
At the start of the 2023 season back in early August, fans of the Strath Haven Football program had lots of questions about how the Panthers would fare over the next couple months. With lots of exceptional talent exiting the program after graduation in June, Head Coach Kevin Clancy and his staff had to wonder who could step up and replace All-Central League performers at all three levels of the defense? Who would carry the football, with over 4,300 rushing yards and 59 touchdowns no longer on the roster? Who would replace a kicker who converted 57 of 59 extra points and tilted the field with deep kickoffs all of last season? Yet with all of those questions, this year’s version of Strath Haven football gave the community 15 weeks of answers, landing last week in the PIAA State Semifinals against Imhotep Charter.
As expected, facing Imhotep in the “Final 4” of the 5A state playoffs for the second time in three years would be no easy task, as Imhotep had reached the state finals in six of the last seven seasons they played. Their roster loaded with Division 1 college talent, the District 12 champs came out flying against Strath Haven, scoring touchdowns on each of their first 5 possessions. The normally fantastic Strath Haven defense could not generate enough pressure against an outstanding Imhotep line, and the secondary could not keep up with Imhotep’s passing attack, led by Army West Point-bound quarterback Mikal Davis and handful of fast receivers. Davis threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, while future Georgia Bulldog Jabree Wallace-Coleman found the end zone three more times in the running game. Still, Strath Haven battled all night, forcing a turnover when #32 Shane Green punched out an Imhotep fumble that #27 Ben Milligan (10 tackles) recovered in the third quarter. But by then, the Panther offense had managed only one quick strike, 61-yard scoring pass from Jake Kitchin to #5 James Fisher, and had another long touchdown by #25 AJ Glavacic called back on a questionable penalty. Kitchin scored his seventh rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, and had the offense on the move to the Imhotep 1-yard line when the clock, and the 2023 season, expired with Haven on the wrong side of a 42-14 score.
